Monday morning Ruby awoke early with the alarm clock. It was time to take her new friends to the hotel where they would meet up with their fellow students and board the bus headed for the airport, where they would take a plane back home again. Everyone had tears in their eyes. It was hard to say goodbye.
Ruby came home and wrote the following letter to the Bywater newspaper:
How to Achieve World Peace
This weekend I had the pleasurable opportunity of hosting two junior high girls from Bywater’s sister city in Japan. The decision to do so took me to the absolute edge of my comfort zone, but now that I have experienced their company and obtained their friendship I know that I would do it again without hesitation.
The experience brought home to me how little our differences really are and how great are our similarities. Their visit was very rewarding in its breaking down of stereotypes and forming of new freindships. I am sure that I am the biggest benefactor of their visit.
I do not think world peace can be obtained through policy makers. I think individuals making friends with other individuals across borders and philosophies, like happened this weekend at my house, is the only true way to achieve that goal. It is very hard to shoot and shake hands at the same time.
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